Method of packaging meat



. Dec. 26,1967 H. B. MILLER METHOD OF PACKAGING MEAT Filed Dec. 27, 1965INVENTOR flag/v0 B. M11154 J 4 4 004w ATTORNEYS United States Patent O3,360,382 METHOD OF PACKAGING MEAT Harmon B. Miller, Atlanta, Ga.,assignor to Scientific- Atlanta, Inc., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation ofGeorgia Filed Dec. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 516,295 3 Claims. (Cl. 99-174)This is a continuation-in-part of my previous application Serial No.384,846 filed July 24, 1964.

The present invention is concerned with a package and a method ofpackaging and, more particularly with'packaging in containers of rigid,transparent or translucent plastic of products such as sliced luncheonmeats and, other perishable goods, especially with gas flushing of thecontents.

In the aforesaid patent application, there is described a packagecomprising a hollow receptacle or cup of rigid plastic material having abottom, sides and a laterally extending sealingflange at the upper edgesof the sides. An upright lip extends from at least a part and preferablyall of the outer edge of the sealing flange. The package is closed by alid which overlies the cup and the flange and has a tab which projectsbeyond the lip. The tab rests on the lip when the lid initially isplaced on the cup so that the lid is propped up and permits withdrawingof air from the cup and replacing it with a gas. The connection betweenthe tab and the rest of the lid is scored or otherwise constructed sothat, when the package is closed by pressing the lid against the flange,the tab is bent out of the way to fit within the lip. Ordinarily, thelid is heat sealed to the cup. As will be appreciated, the lip also isuseful to retain the lid in place after breaking the seal, so that thepackage may be opened and reclosed by the purchaser.

In many cases, the reclosable feature is not needed, or can be providedby a pressure-sensitive adhesive. In such cases, it is desirable to omitthe lip to reduce costs and facilitate handling the cups. However, thelip also is used in connection with the gas flushing to keep the packagepartially open for ingress and egress of gas and air. Therefore, itcould not be omitted if the package is to be gas flushed.

In accordance with the present invention, a new type of lid is usedwhich makes it possible to omit the lip. Briefly stated, the lid isbowed outwardly from the cup so as to define a kind of tunnel betweenitself and the cup. The bowed lid is placed over the cup and maintainedbowed outwardly during gas flushing. Then it is sealed to the cup.

The manner in which the invention is used will be understood better byconsidering the following description of its preferred embodiment andreferring to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package being flushed with gas,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a closed package; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section of a closed package on larger scalethan FIG. 2, some parts being shown in elevation.

As seen in FIG. 3, the package comprises a cup I, having a bottom 2,sides 3 and a continuous flange 4 extending laterally from the upperedges of the sides and continuously around the cup. The cup may beconstructed of a transparent plastic such as polystyrene, polyvinylchloride or the like. However, it also may be formed from otherrelatively stiff or rigid materials such as cardboard or aluminum foil.

The lid 5 is initially placed over the cup and rests on the flange ontwo sides. In the form illustrated, it is made of metal foil 6, such asaluminum foil, which may be laminated to relatively stiff paper 7 andundercoated with heat sealing plastic 8. A metal foil such as aluminum,having a thickness of 0.3 to 1.0 mil laminated to paper having athickness of 4 to 10 mils is a preferred material because of the gasbarrier properties of the metal foil and its ability to retain its shapeif bowed. That is, once lids of this type are bowed they will stay boweduntil pressed flat again. The same effect may be accomplished withplastic or paper lids by scoring them, for example along a series ofparallel lines.

The term bowed is used to define the relationship between the lid andthe opening into the cup. That is, any arrangement by which an innerportion of the lid is displaced generally outwardly from the opening ofthe cup while other portions of the lid are held to the cup will besatisfactory. The exact shape of the lid will depend on. the shape ofthe opening into the cup. As can be seen from the drawing, a preferredtype of cup is a hollow receptacle having a flat flange continuouslyaround its rim. In such case the lid maybe arched outwardly in a simplecurve as shown in FIG. 1. However, other arrangements can be used forother types of receptacles and will be understood to be within the scopeof the invention.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, it can be seen that the bowedlid forms a kind of tunnel indicated at 9 over the package. Gas flushingmay be accomplished by approximately simultaneously applying suction andgas pressure at the opposite ends of the tunnel. The gas and suction maybe supplied by nozzles 10 and 11 directed laterally towards the ends ofthe tunnel 9 as shown, or, for example, in the apparatus described inthe US. patent application of Grant E. Allen, Jr., et a1., Serial No.498,896, filed October 21, 1965, now US. Pat. No. 3,334,- 602.

A strong vacuum is not required, because removal of air is accomplishedprincipally by a sweeping action. That is, gas under pressure pushes airtoward the opposite end of the package. As the gas pressure increases,it is possible to reduce the vacuum, and it is even possible to omit thesuction entirely if there is sufficient gas pressure. However, thiswould waste gas and therefore is not preferred.

The tunnel formed by the lid greatly expedites gas flushing and reducescost. That is, it provides a kind of flushing chamber to minimize escapeof the gas to the surrounding atmosphere. It also guides or deflects thegas so that it moves toward the opposite end, forcing air ahead of itand expelling the air from the package.

Ordinarily, the other gas is an inert gas such as carbon dioxide ornitrogen. However, it has been proposed that oxygen is desirable forpreserving the freshness of certain products such as fresh meats andvegetables. It will be recognized that the present package may be usedjust as effectively for packaging with oxygen as with any other gas.

After gas flushing, the package is closed by forming a gas-tight sealbetween the lid 5 and the flange 4. This may be accomplished by heatsealing or adhesive. The term heat sealing refers therefore to formationof a bond by application of heat. Numerous procedures are known to theart including softening and rehardening of thermoplastic materials suchas polyethylene, curing of heat activated adhesives and the like.However, the method of sealing itself forms no part of the presentinvention, any suitable method for producing a connection between thelid and the cup by application of heat, preferably a gastightconnection, being suitable.

The bowed lid provides another important advantage, i.e. in theappearance of the package. That is, when the edges of the lid are sealedto the cup, the pressure of the gas urges the lid outwardly, reducingthe chance of wrin- 0 kling and giving the appearance of a full package.If the commodity packaged is not a liquid it may in fact fill the cupabove its rim. The invention provides other advandescribed andillustrated is intended, the invention having a scope as defined in theappended claims.

I claim: 1. A method of packaging sliced luncheon meat and otherperishable goods with a gas other than air in a con- I tainer comprisinga cup having a compartment surrounded by a sidewall, an outwardlyextending flange on the upper rim thereof and a bottom, said methodcomprising the steps of placing said goods in said compartment, placinga closing lid on said flange over said goods, said lid being bowedoutwardly so as to provide two openings on opposite sides of the cupbetween said lid and said rim whereby a tunnel is defined between saidcup and said lid, introducing said other gas under pressure at one ofsaid openings and into said tunnel while withdrawing air from saidtunnel through said oppositely located opening, whereby said tunnelchannels theflow of air and said other gas between said openings, andthen forming a gas-tight seal between said lid and said flange to retainsaid other gas in said package.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gas is oxygen and saidgoods are fresh meat.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gas is oxygen.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS '8/1 935 Young 99189 X 2,054,4929/1936 Young 5322 2,412,167 12/1946 Minaker 5312 2,623,826 12/1952Grinstead 99-174 2,763,107 9/1956 Day et a1. 53-7 2,870,954 1/1959Kulesza 99174 X 3,012,894 12/1961 Nagel 99-174 X 3,117,873 1/1964Bartels et al. 99171 FOREIGN PATENTS 148,690 10/ 1952 Australia.

HYMAN LORD. Primary Examiner.

1. A METHOD OF PACKAGING SLICED LUNCHEON MEAT AND OTHER PERISHABLE GOODSWITH A GAS OTHER THAN AIR IN A CONTAINER COMPRISING A CUP HAVING ACOMPARTMENT, PLACING A CLOSING LID ON SAID FLANGE OVER SAID GOOD, SAIDLED BEING BOWED OUTWARDLY SO AS TO PROVIDE TWO OPENDINGS ON OPPOSITESIDES OF THE CUP BETWEEN SAID LID AND SAID RIM WEREBY A TUNNEL ISDEFINED BETWEEN SAID CUP AND SAID LID, INTRODUCING SAID OTHER GAS UNDERPRESSURE AT ONE OF SAID OPENINGS AND INTO SAID TUNNEL WHILE WITHDRAWINGAIR FROM SAID TUNNEL THROUGH SAID OPPOSITELY LOCATED OPENING, WHEREBYSAID TUNNEL CHANNELS THE FLOW OF AIR AND SAID OTHER GAS